Universal clamp for cold-sawing machines.



l J. MOCARTHY. UNIVERSAL CLAMP POR GOLD SAWING MACHINES.

' APPLIOATION FILED MAY 24, 1907.

914,299. Patented Mar.2,1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1,

J.l MOGARTHL UNIVERSAL CLAMP FOR GOLD SAWING MAGHINES. APPLICATION FILED MAY 24, 1907.

Patented Mar. 2, 1909.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

THE NaRRls PETERS ca., wAsH|No1oN,-m'c.

Jalizeajo @apt/gy Mivzegr UNITE@ (TATS EAP/EEN@ risica lTAMES MCCARTHY, OF PLAINFIELI), NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR 'IO QUINCY, MANCHESTER, SARGENT COMPANY, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., AND CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 2, 1909.

Application led May 24, 1907. Serial No. 375,409.

T o all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES M OARTHY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Plainfield, county of Union, State of New Jersey, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Universal Clamps for Cohl-Sawing Machines, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to metal working machinery, and more particularly to means for supporting the work in a cold sawing machine or the like.

In cold saws, as usually constructed, there is a bed upon which the work is adapted to rest and a traveling rotary saw which passes across the bed. It is evident that the best results are obtained when the work is supported with its center in the plane of movement of the aXis of the saw. I-Iowever, the bed plate is a stationary member and therefore the position of the center of the work with respect to the axis of the saw depends upon the size of the work if the work is supported directly upon the saw bed. IIeretofore it has been common practice in machines of this character to block up the work so as to raise it sufiiciently above the bed to bring its center about in the plane of travel of the axis of the saw. This operation, of course, requires time, and considerable pains must be taken in order to position the work properly. Furthermore where the work is su ported on blocks it is very dii'iicult to hold it securely in place and there is always grave danger that the work will be shifted so as to cause the sav,T to catch and produce serious damage.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and compact arrangement whereby the work in a machine of the character described may be quickly and conveniently clamped in any desired position without danger of loosening during the sawing operation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamp for cold sawing machines, wherein irregular objects, or a number of separate pieces may be securely clamped in any desired relation to the saw.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamping device which can be used in standard machines without necessitating any reconstruction of the machines.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clamping device for holding work in metal working machines which shall be simple in construction, comparatively inexpensive in manufacture, and eflicient in operation.

The various features of novelty which characterize my invention will be hereinafter particularly pointed out in the claims, but for a full understanding of my invention, and of its various objects and advantages, reference may be had to the following detailed description of the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Figure l is a plan view of a portion of a cold saw having applied thereto my improved clamping device; Eig. 2 is a section taken at right angles to Fig. 1- directly through the clamping device; Eig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l showing the clamp adjusted so as to cause the work to be sawed diagonally; Figs. 4 and 5 are details showing clamping jaws, Eig. 6 is a section taken on line 6--6V of Fig. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Eig. 7 is a side elevation of the clamp having arranged therein a number of bars which it is desired to clamp rigidly in place.

Reference being had to the drawings, A represents a saw which may be supported and driven in any suitable manner so as to move across a work-supporting bed B. The bed is illustrated as having a slot b into which the saw is adapted to project in order that it may cut entirely through the bottom of a piece of work supported directly on the table. A number of i`slots t to b3 are arranged in the upper surface of the table and at right angles to the direction of movement of the saw. All these parts may take any usual or preferred forms, since the particular Iforms illustrated are simply indicative of general types.

In order that a piece of work may always be supported in the most suitable position relative to the saw, irrespective of the shape or size of the work, and in order that any desired number of small pieces which it is desired to saw may be conveniently and securely held in position, I have provided an adjustable clamp C which is adapted to be securely fastened to the bed of the machine.

l Generally speaking, the clamp consists of a frame member, having a number of adjustable coperating jaws within which the work is received, the frame being adapted to be locked to the bed of the machine in various angular positions so as to present the work at any desired angle. In the arrangement shown, the frame of the clamp consists of an arch-shaped member c supported upon a base c. At about the center of the base is a downwardly projecting pin c2 which is adapted to be inserted in one of the slots in the bed. and from a pivot about which the clamp may be rotated. If desired, a bushing c3 may be placed between the pin and the walls of the slot. The base is provided with a segmental slot c4 through Y which one or more bolts c5 may be passed into one or more of the slots in the bed of the machine. It will be seen that by tightening the bolt or bolts c5 theclamp may be secured in any desired angular position with respect to the saw.- rIfhe length of the segmental slot is, ofcourse, made such as to permit any desired angular adjustment to be obtained.. Furthermore in order that the clamp may be accurately and conveniently adjustedv to any desiredv angle, a series of graduations cG are arranged about the edge of the base plate, andl a Zero mark c7 cooperating with the graduations on the base plate is arranged on the bed of the machine. lThe Zero mark may conveniently be formed on a block o8 which may be. placed in position on any machine by slipping it in one of the T-slots in the bed thereof. Three movable clamping jaws are preferably provided, two of these, D and E, being arranged to be moved vertically, and the third, F, being adapted to be moved horiz ,ribellar-v On the frame, there may be a fixed abutment of some kind, so that when the movable jaws are forced against the sides of the piece of Work, the work is securely clamped between the jaws and the stationary abutment. The j aws Dand E may conveniently be controlled by means of a screw-threaded shaft G the threads g at one end ,being righthanded, and the threads g at the other end left-handed. rlnhe threads g may mesh directly with internal threads in an opening e in the clamp E. The threads g, preferably mesh with internal threads in a nut d vwhich isdetachably secured to the clamping jaw D. By providing aseparate nut in connection with this clamping jaw the construction is simplified and the assembling of the parts facilitated. rlhe upper end g2 of the rod G projects through, and is journaled within., the upper wall of the frame, and carries a handle g3 whereby it may be rotated. The

' handle g? and a collar g4, by engaging with opposite sides ofthe top wall of the frame, ho d the shaft against axial movement. It will beseen that, by turning the handle, the

jaws D and E are simultaneously moved from or toward each other according to the direction of rotation of the handle.

lin order to prevent the jaws D and E from' rotating with the shaft, any suitable form of guiding device may be employed: thus there may be vertical guides e9 and clo arranged on opposite sides of the member c, and either secured to this member or formed integral therewith, as may be desired. 'l he jaws D and E are provided with faces which slide upon the gui-des so that, although the jaws are free to be moved up and down, theyV are held against rotation through their engagement with the guides. ln order that the guides may serveto hold the jaws in accurateralinement instead of simply preventing them from being rotated, the jaws are preferably provided with pockets which partially surround the guides. rihese pockets may conveniently be formed as shown in Fig. 5, that is, shoulders d2 may be arranged at the inner ends of the guiding surfaces d3 and corresponding shoulders may be formed at the outer edges of the surfaces d3 by means of detachable plates d4 which are secured to the jaw in any suitable manner, as for example, by means of bolts d5. This arrangement enables the jaw to be slid into place laterally, and to be then secured by fastening on the plates d4. The connection between the nut d and the aw D is also preferably such that when the plates d4 are removed, the jaw may be disengaged by lateral movement, not only from the guides, but also from the nut. The connection between the nut and the jaw is therefore preferably in the form of a pin d, which enters a recess Z7 in the jaw. rlhe jaw E may have its guide-ways formed in the same manner, that is by means of detachable plates e4 Acorresponding to the plates d4. The jaw E may be supported and operated in any suitable manner, as for example, by'means of a screwthreaded shaft f which passes through the frame c and carries the jaw F at its inner end and a handle j" vat its outer end. The connection between the jaw and the shaft is Y such a one that the shaft may rotate Vwithin the jaw, but is incapable of axial movement with respect thereto. -This is convenientlyr accomplished by forming an annular groove f2 nearthe inner end of the shaft, and securing a pinf3 in the jaw in a position to be engaged in a groove. By turning the handle f the jaw is moved in or'out as the case may be.

Instead of providing as a separate element, an abutment to coperate with the movable jaws, i prefer to place the guides e9 and cm in such position that when the work is clamped in place it is held between the guides and the several jaws.

In using the clamp for holding a piece of work, such as an eye beam H, the beam is passed through the clamp so as to rest upon the lower jaw. 'lhe handle g3 1s then ro-` tated untill the top of the eye beam. comes into engagement with the oppor the beam is now centered with respect to the saw. Upon turning the handle f the beam is forced inwardly until it engages with the guides or abntments c and Both of the handles may now be turned so as to give the iinal set to the jaws, whereby the beam is rigidly held in position, lf it is desired to out the beam at right angles, the clamp is adjusted so that the zeros on the clamp and on the bed of the machine register. if the c". t is to be made at any other angle, the work is properly positioned to eiiect tl is by turning the clamp 'i ntil the proper graduation registers with the aero on the bed plate.

vfil'lien it is desired to saw a number of small pieces, for example, bars l, the jaw is removed and an elongated jaw il" sybstituted therefor. rihis jaw sho-old be of such a length that when the clamping process is complete the work is practically snrroonded by the jaws. in this way every piece of the work is engaged by a portion of the clamping devices and there is no danger that any piece will work loose.

lf desired, a gage for enabling the operator to cut a series of pieces to equal lengths, without being required to measure each piece, may be provided. T his gage may conveniently consist of a rod K vhich is slid-- ably supported in the frame c and held in any adjusted position by means of a set-screw A bracket k projects at right angles from one end of the member K and a rod 7a2 is adjustably supported by the bracket parallel with the rod K. Rough adjustments are secured by adjusting the member K, and then the bar or rod 752 is adjusted, and this bar is locked in its adjusted position by means of a set-screw 7c3. Each piece of work is passed tlnough the clamp until its end engages with the end of the rod k2 and the clamp is then set up with. the assurance that the member will be cnt the proper length.

ln starting a cut, the saw is apt to vibrate, and to obviate this l prefer to make use of saw' guides which may conveniently take the form of rods Z and Z adjustably secured in the bracket it and other rods i2 and 13 adjistably secured in the member c. The rods l to 13 are adjusted so that they just touch the saw on opposite sides and steady it. Suitable set screws 14 to 17 may be provided for locking the saw guides in place.

lt will now be seen that l have provided an arrangement whereby work of any desired character, and consisting of any desired number of pieces may be conveniently and effectively clamped in the most advantageous position with respect to a saw without endangering the safety of the saw or the safety of the operator. Furthermore I have provided a device which may be applied to existing machines without requiring any alteration to be made in sach machines.

lo; hile l have described in detail a preferred form of my invention, l do not desire to be limited to the exact form shown since in its broader aspects my invention covers also other forms as will be evident from the definitions of my invention comprised in the appended claims.

Having now fully described my invention, what l claimas new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. In a clamp, a base plate, a frame in the shape of a closed arch rising above said base plate, a fixed work-engaging abutment, a pair of clamping aws arranged within said frame and movable from and toward each other parallel with said abutment and in a plane at right angles to said base plate and to said abutment, a third movable aw within said frame and movable in said plane and at right angles to said abutment, and means for moving said jaws.

2. ln a clamp, a base-plate, a frame in the shape of a closed arch rising above said baseplate, a iXed abutment having a work-en gaging face extending at right angles to said base-plate, a pair of clamping jaws arranged within said frame and movable from and toward each other parallel with said abutment and in a plane at right angles to the base plate and the working face of said abutment, a third clamping jaw arranged within said frame and movable from and toward the abutment in the direction parallel with the base-plate and in said plane, and means for moving said jaws.

3. ln a clamp, a base plate, a frame in the shape of a closed arch rising above and integral with the base-plate, a pair of abutments lying on opposite sides of said frame and con nected at their ends with the base plate and the frame respectively, a pair of clamping jaws arranged within said frame and slidably mounted upon said abutments, a third clamping jaw arranged within said frame and movable from and toward said abutments, and means for moving said jaws.

4. .In a clamp, a base plate, a frame in the shape of a closed arch rising above and integral with said base-plate, a pair of abutments arranged on opposite sides of said frame and integrally connected at their opposite ends with the frame and the basei plate, a pair of jaws arranged within the frame and slidably mounted upon said abutments, a screw-threaded shaft arranged between and parallel with said abutments and having right and left handed threads coperating with said jaws, means on the eXterior of said frame for turning said shaft, a

' third jaw arranged within the frame and movable at right angles to said abutments and means for moving said latter jaw.

5. In a cold saw, a bed, a saw arranged to travel across said bed, a basesplate pivotally supported upon said bed for rotation about an angle at right angles to said bed, a frame in the shape of a closed arch rising above said base-plate, a work-engaging abutment extending at right angles to said base-plate, a pair of jaws arranged within said frame and slidably mounted on said abutment, means for simultaneously moving said jaws from or toward each other'7 a third jaw arranged Within said frame and moving at right angles to said abutment, and means for moving said latter 6. In a cold saw, a bed, a saw arranged to travel across the bed, a base-plate pivotally supported upon said bed for rotation about an axis. at right ang-les to said bed, a frame in the shape of a closed arch rising above said base-plate, clamping jaws arranged` within said frame for supporting a piece of work at any distance above the bed, a rod adjustably secured to said frame and extending at right angles to the plane thereof, an arm extending at right angles from said rod, a work gage adjustably mounted on said arm, and a saw guide also adjustably supported upon said arm.

7. In a clamp, a base plate, means for supporting said base plate for rotation about an axis at right anfrles thereto, a graduated scale on said base plate arranged in the form of an arc having its center upon said axis, a stationary index coperating with said scale,

means for looking said base plate in any anclamping jaw arranged within said frame for movements from and toward said working face, and means for moving said jaws.

In testimony whereof, I sign this speeiiica- -1-5 tion in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES MCcARTi-IY, Witnesses G. W. V. MOY, F. R. PI-IILLIPs. 

